English low-cost airline and Leeds-based tour operator
Apollo has won the bid to take EasyJet private at 715p a share, valuing the carrier at about $7.7 billion. Castlelake has withdrawn, clearing Apollo to move forward. The deal is expected to complete by Q1 2027, with Stelios Haji-Ioannou and family retaining shares. Shareholders face a vote and delisting of EasyJet.
UK air travel stayed resilient in the second quarter, with total passenger numbers surpassing last year’s record. Data from the Civil Aviation Authority shows 81 million travellers and 120,000 more movements, while destinations in Europe and Asia saw mixed gains and cuts amid regional tensions.
Gatwick Airport reports half-year pre-tax profits of £136.5 million, down 18% on the prior year as passenger numbers dip amid Middle East conflict and fuel concerns. Long-haul travel falls while short-haul remains pressured; expansion plans for a second runway move forward after a Court of Appeal ruling.
Global government bond yields have risen to multi‑decade highs after renewed US–Iran fighting pushed Brent oil toward $90–$97 a barrel and raised inflation expectations. Markets are pricing tighter central‑bank policy; UK gilt yields and US Treasuries have climbed sharply, forcing higher mortgage and corporate borrowing costs and shrinking fiscal headroom for many governments.
Nats has said a millisecond software defect in its flight‑data system has caused the outage that cancelled more than 2,000 flights and disrupted hundreds of thousands of travellers. CEO Martin Rolfe has apologised; Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has ordered an independent Civil Aviation Authority review and has asked Nats to report within a week.
Disruptions across UK airspace linked to Prestwick and Swanwick faults have continued to trigger flight cancellations and delays. Airlines call for leadership changes as regulators review the incidents and outline steps to improve resilience.